The popular Koko Crater hike in Hawaiʻi Kai will be closed for four separate days this month while the city repairs the World War II-era viewing platform at the top.
This is the second phase of an ongoing restoration project to prolong the life of the stairs and make the route safer for the hundreds of hikers that ascend and descend it every day.
The City and County of Honolulu will replace the metal grate platform at the top of the stairs with a "newer, safer steel structure designed for recreational use."
The 71-square-foot platform will sit atop the existing concrete foundation and include a rail and stairwell.
The $427,000 project requires the use of a helicopter to transport materials from the nearby Koko Head District Park to the summit.
The stairway and summit are scheduled to be closed while the helicopter is in use on:
- Wednesday, June 7
- Friday, June 16
- Monday, June 26
- Thursday, June 29
The city said that when helicopter flights are not taking place, the tramway will be open for use. But access to the construction site at the summit will be restricted throughout the duration of the project.
Construction is scheduled to finish by the end of this summer.
